The onset of the monsoon session has seemingly raised political temperatures in the capital town at least. Chief minister Virbhadra Singh on Wednesday sought an unconditional apology from former chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal for allegedly “suppressing” his political opponents during his
tenure.

“Dhumal and DS Manhas, former director general of police, should apologise to the people of state for political vendetta during the previous regime. Manhas was the master mind in framing the political opponents of Dhumal,” Singh said while addressing mediapersons after the House was adjourned.

He described Manhas as the mastermind behind Dhumal for political victimisation. He asked Dhumal to set one example of political vendetta during his previous tenure as chief minister. “Not even a single case had been framed against any BJP legislator,” Singh added, while simultaneously warning that those guilty of misdeeds or wrongdoings would not be spared by his government.

He clarified that cases against two former ministers - Dr Rajeev Bindal and Kishan Kapoor - were registered on the orders of the high court.

“It was during the BJP regime that the vigilance had sought prosecution sanction against Bindal. Vidhan sabha speakers at that time had turned down the vigilance plea,” he added.

Turning the table, he accused Dhumal of political vendetta during his regime. Citing examples, he said he was framed in false cases during both the tenures of Dhumal. “In the Sagar Katha case I faced a court trial and came out clean. The CD case too was false and fabricated. I resigned from the union cabinet as I did not want to drag the high office in the court,” he added.

In reply to a question, he said he himself had opted for the central bureau of investigation probe in the alleged charges against him as union minister.

Continuing with his diatribe against the previous BJP government, he charged the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association of committing fraud by giving fake addresses, while registering the players' association in Kanpur.

“The BJP had come with a pre-conceived agenda,” he said, lambasting the BJP for disrupting the House on the first day of the session. He said it was the privilege of the speaker to allow debates, not the government.